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December 16, 2010

There are some buildings in Belgrade that are built in the spirit of modernism of the 1930's, and this building (at 67 Kralja Aleksandra Boulevard) the faculty of law of the University of Belgrade is one of them (picture from stefan_serb).

The building was constructed in 1936–40 after a design by the architect Petar Bajalović further elaborated by Petar Anagnosti, an architect and university professor. It was conceived as an unornamented functional modern-style structure arranged on a rounded-triangular plan.

Bajalović saw the site as a corner location and therefore paid careful attention to both street facades creating an imposing entrance on the corner to provide a distinctive accent. The overall impression of dynamism stems from the interplay of alternate cubic and rounded forms, as well as from the sharp contrast between the calm facade surfaces and the monumental entrance portion.

The only accent in the flat facades is achieved by means of the shallowly protruding horizontals beneath the windows.

The projecting portions of the street facades show prominent verticals in the form of pilasters between the windows.
The building has architectural and townscape value as a modernist corner structure which plays a significant role in the articulation of surrounding space and constitutes the starting point of a part of the complex of university buildings. Purposely designed to accommodate the Law School, one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Serbia, it also has cultural and historical value.(Text and pictures from Cultural properties of Belgrade)

Petar Bajalovic also designed the building of Drustvo Svetog Save in Belgrade (picture from Rascian on Skyscrapercity) and the Mihailo Petrovic Alas house (my post about it here)

December 9, 2010

After WW II Belgrade was a experimental ground for modern architecture. which I particularly like is untypically in a rather rural place called Karaburma, a district of eastern Belgrade. It's a residential tower and it was designed by architect Rista Sekerinski in 1963. The building is also called "Toblerone-Building" (as the famous swiss chocolate).

This is the panoramic view from the building

That's how the tower looks today. Because of the concrete facade it's still in a good shape.
(Picture from Karaburma on panoramio)

There are a few other high-rise buildings that were influenced by modern building of the 1960's and are not situated in Novi Beograd.

I took these pictures in the Dorcol area near the Dunav river.

While in Novi Beograd modernist projects were made “from scratch”, with no really connection to the surrounding in the old town (like the Dorcol area) modern building are context-conscious and belnd with the surrounding.

Good Books

Lessons of Serbian Rural Architecture

NATO BOMBING TRAIL BELGRADE

my sketchbook

About Me

I'm an architect and I live and work in Zürich. Travelling to Serbia and being married to a Serbian infuses my work with the inevitable culture clash between the Swiss and the Serbian World. "Nothing against Serbia" is a collection of fascinating architecture, design and places of an amazing country and the bonus travel tips will help you to plan your trip to wonderful Serbia.